February 10, 2013
David and Joyce Dinkins Gardens is an affordable housing development located in Harlem, comprising 85 studio to two bedroom apartments, to house low-income families and youths aging out of foster care. The building includes a community center with classroom and activity spaces for the sponsor’s building trades training program. A landscaped garden area provides an outdoor recreational space for residents and re-establishes a community garden located on the site.
The masonry bearing wall and pre-cast concrete plank building is organized into bays on contrasting brick colors to provide scale and visual interest. Brick banding and a rusticated base emphasize the residential character of the building. Two recessed, glazed window wall bays interrupt the brick facade to mark the residence and community center entries and open the facade to the community.
The project participated in the Enterprise Green Communities Initiative. Sustainable design features include: use of EnergyStar appliances and fixtures; low-flow plumbing fixtures; use of green and recycled materials; enhancement of indoor air quality through insulation and innovative apartment ventilation; native, low-maintenance planting; green roof; photo-voltaic panels, rainwater harvesting; and resident education. The green roof is on the sixth floor setback roof with a solarium for use by the residents. A rainwater harvesting system provides water for irrigation of the garden. Sunshades control solar gain at windows.
The new state of the art affordable housing development in the South Bronx, NY, features a 10,000 square foot (930 sq meters) fully integrated rooftop farm.
The greenhouse will use water harvested from the greenhouse roof. The farm will be used to provide fresh, healthy vegetables to the building’s tenants and the surrounding community, making a significant contribution to food access and public health in the neighborhood.
